Sand-box for cars



(No Model.)

S. CRORY. SAND BOX FOR GARS.

No. 488,387. Patented Dec. 20,1892,

entran trarne Parana triton..

SAMUEL CRORY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAND-BOX FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,387, dated December 20, 1892.

Application filed March 7, 1892. Serial No. 424,038. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL CRORY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sand-Boxes for Cars, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improved device for sanding railway tracks.

The object is to provide a device simple in construction and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture which can be applied to cars of any description without change of construction except as to the length of the feeding pipe.

A further object is to provide a sand box which can be readily attached to or detached from the dash board of a car.

I have designed my invention to be used particularly upon electric cars but it will of course be understood that it can be applied to cars of any description whatsoever.

Heretofore it has been customary to provide sand boxes permanently attached one at each end of the car but by the use of my invention it can be used alternately at opposite ends of the car and when sand is not required for the track can be readily removed.

- My invention, therefore, consists in the matters hereinafter described and referred to in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention Figure l is an end view of a car provided with my invention; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a plan view with the cover removed; and Fig. 4 is a rear view showing the means for attachment to the dash.

In these drawings A represents a car, B the main portion of the dash board usually made of sheet metal and C the railing, these parts being constructed in the usual manner. The sand box D may be cast in one piece or, as shown in the drawings, made in two parts a, b, provided with flanges and bolted together.

To the back of the box D and by the back I mean that portion adjacent to the dash board of the car, are attached hooks @adapted to iit over the sheet metal part of the dash board of the car, though it will be understood that they may be attached to the rail of the dash. A rubber block d near the lower end of the box prevents the metal from coming in contact with the dash. In order to prevent the entire weight of the box coming upon the sheet metal portion of the dash I provide an opening e in the rear face of the box through which can be passed a strap f adapted to be buckled over the rail of the dash. Above the hooks on the rear face of the box are openings g through which pass lips on the cover E of the box, this cover being secured at the front by means of the thumb-bolt h.

' At or near the bottom of the box D are projections t' to which is secured the bottom gate F by means of screws It. This gate is provided with a number of openings m (four being herein shown) through which the sand in the box passes to the tube G upon the lower end of which is preferably secured a short piece of flexible piping extending down close to the rail so that the sand will not scatter,and the pipe being flexible will give to any obstruction which may happen to be on the track.

In the center of the gate F is an opening for the passage of the shaft H which is keyed upon the under side of said gate. Said shaft H carries a cut-off I which is similar in construction to and bears upon the upper surface of the gate F. It will be seen, therefore, that when the upper gate or cut-off is rotated to such position that the openings therein register with the openings in the lower gate the sand will be delivered to the track. It will be understood that the upper gate or cut-off may not be similar in form to the lower one but may consist simply of a plate cut away with"the exception of a sufficient amount of material to act as a cutoff for the openings in the lower gate.

rIhe shaft which carries the cut-olf is provided With a number of projections or spoons as n which in the revolution of said shaft act to stir up the material and cause it be delivered freely through the gate. Instead of or in addition to these, the upper side of the cnt off may have projections n. This shaft has its upper bearing in an opening in the center of the cover of the box and is adapted at its end for the attachment of a handle' K. This handle K is provided with a curve as shown in Fig. l so as to avoid the shaft which IOO controls the electric motor in order that when not in use the handle may lie close to the rail of the dash.

It Will be understood that the parts above referred to may be manufactured in any suitable form and of any material desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device for sanding tracks comprising a suitable box or hopper, a stationary gate secured therein having perforations, a shaft ro tating in said box and carrying at its lower end a cut-oft gate revolving above said stationary gate, said cut-off gate being rotated by said shaft and means for directly rotating said shaft; substantially as described.

2. A device` for sanding tracks comprising a box orhopper removably secured to the car,

a gate secured in said box and having perforations,.a shaft passing through said gate and keyed' on the under side thereof, a cut-off gate secured to said shaft above the stationary gate, stirrers on said shaft and means for directly rotating the same; substantially as described.

3. In a device for sanding tracks, in connbination with the rotating shaft, cut-off valve, and box, hooks secured to said box, openings in the rear of said box and a removable cover having lips passing through said openings;

`substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence yof two. Witnesses.

SAMUEL CRORY. LL. s]

Witnesses:

CHARLES CoY, CHAs. F. HOLMES.` 

